HumRRO contracted with ARI, sponsored by OASD/P&R (AP), to produce a book for commercial publication by the American Psychological Association (APA) which documents the research and development of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) as a means of administering the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), the personnel selection test battery used by the Department of Defense (DoD). The CAT-ASVAB program began in 1979, and bore operational fruit in 1992, when CAT-ASVAB went into limited use in an operational test and evaluation. CAT-ASVAB has since been approved to replace conventional, printed versions of ASVAB, beginning in 1996 in all Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPs). The principal objective of this book is to document the psychometric research and development of the CAt-ASVAB program and the important practical lesssons learned in developing its delivery system. The approach does this in a historical context. A secondary objective of the book is to provide a case study of the entire CAT-ASVAB program. The book primarily addresses three aspects of CAT-ASVAB history in DoD (adaptive testing measures and strategies; CAT-ASVAB system design issues; and CAT-ASVAB evaluation). It provides reference information useful to practitioners developing a computerized testing system.
Entry Standards in the Modern Military: A Brief Historical Review Minimum standards for acceptance into the American military are flexible gates that open and close in reaction to the shifting needs of national defense and manpower recruitment. Like finely engineered dams, constructed to regulate the flow of a river and form temporary reservoirs, the military's entry standards are designed to take the best available men and women in the required quantities. Certain circumstances, such as a recruiting drought or a need for mass mobilization, typically neces!,tate less stringent physical standards, lower education and ability criteria, and more lenient eligibility requirements in other areas. Conversely, during periods of peace when the standing army Is streamlined to function S as a "caretaker," or during periods of high unemployment when military "Jobs" are relatively more attracttve to the youthful workforce, the Armed Services are usually able to be more selective and the qualititi•ve barriers to entry are strengthened. 1 One reason for personnel screening by the Army during the period just prior to World War II was a reduction in the number of potential pensioners (that is, men who were unfit physically for active duty and who might claim Government compensation for a disability acquired while serving in the military). The fundamental purpose of entry screening, however, was the 7 1bid., pp. 74-75, 236. 1-3 '.. Vietnam conflict population Includes men who underwenta preinduction examination for the first time during July 1966 XAI through June 1972. The date do not account for voluntary enlistments. The aptitude test failure category Includes some men who were also wedically disqualified.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and computerized adaptive testing (CAT) are the topics of central importance throughout this book. The purpose of this introductory chapter is twofold: (1) to provide the reader with a brief introduction to ASVAB and CAT, and (2) to consolidate basic information on these two topics, providing a framework for the more detailed presentations in the following chapters. ness, and differential impact of tests on various subgroups. This information is useful in meeting current professional standards for the use of employment tests (American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education, 1985; American Psychological Association, 1980). Historical Antecedents Military Personnel ScreeningAptitude testing plays a central role in the military personnel screening process. Indeed, the military places far more emphasis on aptitude testing as a selection tool than does the civilian sector. This difference is the result of a number of factors:The majority of individuals in the primary age group of applicants targeted by the military (17-21 years old) has no significant employment history to aid in selection decisions.* The military selects people for a wide variety of training and jobs.* The overall military screening process is quite expensive, in part because of the large numbers of people involved. Group-administered tests offer efficiencies in time, cost, and psychometric precision that are quite appealing.Additional information on the history of the U.S military's use of aptitude screening tests may be found in a number of
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